Process of and apparatus for concentrating metalliferous ores.



H.-E. WOOD. v PROCESS 0? AND APPARATUS FOR CONGENTRATING MBTALLIE'EROUSORES.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1909. I

633. Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I H. B. WOOD. PRGCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOB CONGEKTRATING EETALLIPEROUSORES.

APPLIGATIOS FILED JUHB 25, 1903.

' Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wilma-2 024 @M Eli 51E nl'oz aq waftouxup fir, @24 M470 HENRY E. WOOD,OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PROCESS OF AHD APPARATUS FOB CONGENTBA'IING METALLIFEROUS ORES.

os noas.

Specification of Letters I atent. Patented Feb, '31, 1911 Applicationfiled June 25, 1909. Serial No. 504.236. i

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it-known that .l. I'IENRY E. \Yoon, a citizen of the United States,residing at- Denver. in the county of Denver and. State .5 of Colorado.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of andApparatus for Concentrating )Ietalliferous ()res. of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

It is well lcnmvn that the surface of a liquid possesses certaindistinctive properties tlilt'erent from those within the liquid. andthat it acts: like a thin elas c uu-iulu-auqun der tension in alldirections. and tending constantly to contract. The surface film of aliquid has, therefore. the -apability of support ing certain substancesabove it, if they are in a finely divided state,cven though they may beof greater density than the. liquid itself. Thus. if a mixture of finelycomminuted dry material bedistrilutted upon the surface of a liquid,some of the particles may penetrate the surface film and pass into thebody of the liquid, whileothers may remain suspended for an indefinitetime upon the surface film. "he buoyant power of the surs face ofliquids is thus selective with regard to certain substances; Thisproperty of the surface tension of liquids has been taken adrantage ofin various processes for the selective separation of mixtures of finelydivided materials. For-example in se-p: iratin;z particles of graphitefrom crushed rock or sand. the principle is very generally applied byfeeding the mixture in a dry state upon the moving surface stratum of abody of ".ater p rmitting the sand .and tine particles of rock t.osinlpinto the lower quiescent stratum. while the particles of graphite.which have a highly water repellent property. are floated oil into aseparate receptacle or launder. It has also been proposed to apply thesame broad principle to the. concentration of metallit'crous ores. andthe recognition of the fa t that particles of metal such as are presentin crushed ores possess relatively less of that water repellent propertythatcauses them to remain suspended upon the surface film of water. hasled to the proposal and appli ation of various and in.

many cases substantially different methods from those obtaining in therecovery of graphite. in order to comp nsate for the. lack of suchproperty. For example. mechanical devices or special processes have beenemployed for bringing the metal partieles t0 and maintaining them on thesurface. and various substances have been utilized which by attaclnnentto or union with such particles would have a tendency to increase theirbuoyancy. So far as I am aware, lnmevcr. and my familiarity withcommercial condiions in this art enables meto so state with no littleassurance. no process or apparatus heretofore dcrised and based uponthis prin iple. has proved'commercially successful or practicable. themeaget results being due to failure to obscrr'c and provide for theproper iuaintcmtnce of those conditions In practice under which tion ofthe surface tilm tension of liquids.'

and which realizes the pus ibility' of such principle to an extent thatrenders it highly ellieient and c mmercially valuable.

In carrying: out mv invention 1 use the apparatus illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. in whicb- Figure l is a view partly in verticalcentral section and partly in side elevation of my apparatus. cotnplgtc.Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.

The numeral 1 indicates a tank or ret-eptacle tapering toward the bottm. preterably in the f rm of an inverted split cone. and having at itscontracted end a valve controlled outlet :3. Entering th side of saidtank is a water supply pipe 3 opening! downward in the tank and providedwith a controlling valve 4.

Above the tank 1 is supported a plate or table 5 of glass or othersuitable material such as wood. iron or steel. which contains in itsupper surface'a series of shallow eonverging grooves 6, leading to atrap-hole T of comparatively small diameter; extended by a pipe 8 into.through or below the tank 1. The table 5 is slightly inclined toward thetank 1. and its lower edge 10 proiects over the same. extending towithin a few inches of the lip or spil'way 22. and being; curveddownwardly or rounded as shown. in Fig. 1 this table is shown as rigidlysecured to the. tank 11. but it. is preferable to provide for avariation of the angle of inclination with respect to the level of waterltlU ult- 2 v I v ceases I in the tank 1., I have indicated a means foraccomplishing this .in Fig. 2, where 9, 9 represent set screws passingthrough arms extending from the. ends'of the table, near its forwardedge, and resting upon the flanges or edges of the tank If the upper Irrear edge'of the table is hinged or flexibly connected with the tank-11, its angle of in clination may be varied by the proper adjustment ofthe screws 9.

A tank 11 connected by a valve controlled pipe 12 with a water supply,and provided with'a suitable spillway, is used to deliver upon theinclined plate 5, a sheet of water of uniform but regulablc thickness.

Above the plate 5, is a device for feeding upon the surface of the waterflowing, ovpr said table, a finely comminutcd maternal in a dried state,and as I have found that the manner in which such material is deliveredor fed is of great practical importance. I have devised a special devicefor the-purpose.

This consists, essentially, of a laterally vibrating feed plate 13,adjustable vertically as a whole, and also about a horizontal axis Iwhereby its distance above the plate 5, as

also its angle of inclination with respect thereto maybe varied. Thenecessary more meats and adjustments are secured by using a supportingframe M suspended by bars 15, from a suitable fixed support, andmounting tbsplate 13 on pivotal hearings in blocks or nuts 16,surrounding threaded standard 17, supported on the frame. with thecapability of being turned to raise or lower the said blocks. One edgeof the plate 13 is connected to frame 14 by an adjustable rod or similardevice 18, by which its inclination mav bewaricd as desired.

The frame 15 vibrated h vany suitable means, such as an eccentric 19,with a strap connected by arod'20, with the side of the frame.

' In conjunction with the feed plate above described I employ anysuitable device for delivering the finely comminutedmaterial upon thehigher end of the plate. This device is illustrated conventionally at21, and

should be capable of delivering the material continuously at a uniformrate.

In the forward side of the tank 1. and slightly below the level of therpmainiug sides is an inclined lip or plate over which the water,overflowing from the tank 1, passes. Immediately under said lip orspillway is a screen 23 of wire gauze or other like foraminous material,inclining abruptly but supported in such manner that its angle ofinclination may be varied by means of an: adjusting screw or handle 24.The lower end of the screen 23 lies over a trough 25 or tank 26, and aplate 27 inclined at an opposite angle and secured to the under side ofthe screen near its lower end projects over a tank or receptacle 28.

is also admitted to the tank 11 Stated in gent-1 al terms. th theory andmode ofhp -raliou of the apparatus above described are as follows: Thewill; I is filled with water and the supply regulated sons to maintain aslight oz-wllmv. Water at a rate suilicicutto maintain over the table orplate .to carry it across the relatively qui -scout body of watertherein to tho. spillway 22, but at such an angle as to avoid theforumtion of a ripple or brcak in the surface film at the line ofintersection between the descending shoot and the surface of the waterin tank 1 which would impair the continuity andlmoyaut property of thesaid film. This may be done by adjusting the end of the plate 5.slightly above the normal level of the water in said tank, orpreferably, as shown, by curvin the end otthe table so that it extendsslightly below the surface when the apparatus is in operation. W'hcn theabove described conditions have been established. filltl:.' comminutadore in a dried state is tlclivclml upon the vibrating plate- 13, overwhich it descends and front the lower end of which it is delivered in auni form stream upon the'surfacc' of the water flowing over the plate 5,and at substantially right angles to the current of the surface film. Asthe material is delivered upon the moving surface film, the gangue sinksimmediately into the water while the metalliferous particles, or a largeproportion of the same remain suspended upon the surface;

Allof the wetted particle which sink are carried down the plate by thecurrent, butil'. have observed that the heavier wctted non-- tioatingparticles which are chiefly metallifcrous. more more slowly'than thelighter particles of gangue material. I therefore find it advantageousto provide the grooves 6, converging toward a trap hole 7, as by thismeans a large proportion of the wetted or non-floating concentrates maybe deflected -trap. and also a certain proportion of fincr and lighterparticles which are held in suspension. lVhcn it reaches the-body ofwater in the tank with this charge or load, the heavier submergedparticles sink atonce in the quiescent water, but the rate of movementof the surface stream or stratum is sufliciently retarded to permit avery large proportion of the suspgjtdcd particles which portant separai1 down with the remainder of the water int o liar. and paintthe screensolid approxition of ripple on the upper.surfa e, the

would otlua 'risc be carried over the spillway stratum 0 waterlh-lllilll't that which. by

'eaaon of its acqmrcrl nonientuna. tlows s tho tank to be.tllliitflfifll I The. adjustment el conl i to sin}: into the. lower andmore uni: 'c ntl l steadily acro over the spihxay. (litions andarrangoment of parts should g not. however, b such to permit such a lpronounceki slo. 15,-; (lovvn of the suri'accl stratum as would allow anobjecl-iouable ac- .cumula-tion or over-crowding of the floatingparlieles, \vhivh are conveyed out of the tank by the, moving surfacefilm anti over 1 the; spillway from which the) may he. LlJ- liver-cal orcol lCCiCLl in any couvcnieut main lll'. Although the. separation of thevalnea from the gang-no maiitljv elected prior to ihetl'oi'i ir-rgo ofthe. nwvin; url'acc Iihu overthe 'llu wrigriele. for tho F ithat. manyve fine part5 are carnal over the s allion in sun-Mon in the surfacctri35 An additional anti imor eozn'eal'ration effect ed by tho screen 2which has a peculiar function wholly distincz from that. of an Thedischargenr overflow from tank 1, is in the am of a sheet of order withan unbroken orundisturbecl upper surface lm. Thc scren is Set in nearlya vertical position and zihis (lcsccnrling stream allowed to fall uponit at such :in angle that the upper surface. iihn will he r.-mr-.ticallv split oil from the sheet. A portion of l.l."- water pa ses through theaa'ecin in: as the iin'linmjion l of the latter 15 ch as to preventtheformafiouiing pm'tieles are noiilrawn below tlic surface film nor car iii rough the interstices of the screen. F nch alter as reaches the.screen. hmvevcr. closcs each mesh with a thin sheet, which presents.therefore a double surface film. Values which may penal ate the uppersurface film or \vln n. 1 be in a tcndency'to trasel but sen them. whilethe zauguc will pass fluirlv through (he unr I dcr hbn. lhus. \vmlc aportion oi the oatcl and the greater part ill lllt3 gangue and. ilighter wetter! particles in the hschurge pass through the sermon, .hefloating! particles and value. in sus n-nsion lhereni will he arrzcclthe tank 28. To further far-iii "e this opeation. I note the outline ofthe falling stream of water under conditions of normal operiv a minimum.

conveyed hack to the tank ll, so that waste of mat rial and loss ofvalues are. rciluccd to in all processes of wet. cou-cenimtion of oresat present in 0, the presence of the the slinner. which escape. into thetailings.

By the use of my invention these losses. are very largely tll'flliltll.the more prominent features of novelty by which su h realitis s urci'lbeing; the following: The surface film by mean of which the. initialseparation cli' c-tctl is preservctl intact and un- 'i'uadrol hile suchinitial :cparation. a accinalarv Separation. anal subsequent setting 1:final separation are proceeding beneath such film. What here designatedsecondary separation is accomplishwl in lhc manner above dex-cribeil bytaking advantage of the slower rate. of (Mel over the table of theheavier cited and submerged mctallifcroos particles. The settling is accu'nplished by checking or retarding the movement of the surface stratumover a .quiu-acent bocly of water, and the final sepa tlcpeurl may bemodified in any desirable nay. without. departure from the invention.

For exanig'ile. a small quantity of oil or acid or other substances willrciuler the film more character :nlly selective with regard to theparticular particles which it will convey upon its moving surface. amlthus extenil the range. and permitv of better control of itsselectivity. It is moreover evident, from thc posit on of the inventionin the art aiul the nature of the appliances herein ilescribctl ns {hehes; P392118 now known to m practicing; the invention. that these lattermay he re"; greatly moilifieil in design aml construction withoutdeparture from the novel principle which they involve.

What I claim is:

1. The: process of recovering the values of metz-illiferous ores, whichconsists in feeding rho orcin a finely (prided state upon the surface ofa body of water in a substantially quiescent state in a suitablereceptacle, causing (he upper or surface stratum of the llfllly of waterto flow laterally and discharge over the edge. of the receptacle nullthen splitting oil from the freely (lcsccn'ling sheet of water a! apoint. in its trajectory removed from point of overflow. the surfacefilm with he particles supported thereon.

2. In au apparatus for concentrating ores,

- n is 4; I assess l the combination ofa tank for containing a hurl ofwater and provided with a'spillway, an inclined plate. means formaintaining a l t-m f will rcontinuously tlowin; over the Hlllit. thesaid plate l-eing supported and arranged to deliver the sheet of waterwith its surface lihn unhrolten and unimpaired up du the surtace at thebody nt water in the tank,

and directin; it as a .-l()\\l moving surface stratum arrows the body(.t water and over the spillway, means for feeding the ore in athoroughly dried and finely coniniinuted state in a uniform stream upon.th'e shcct of water while on its wayhto the tank, and means forsplitting oil the surface film. with the particles supported thereonfrom the column of water which discharges, at an angle to the vertical,from the tank.:

3. In an apparatus for concentrating ores, the combination of a tank forcontaining a body of water and provided with a spillway, means formaintaining a surface stratum continuously moving across the body ofwater in said tank and over the spillway,

means forv feeding or delivering ore in athoroughly dried andcolnminuted state upon the surface of the movmg surface stratum, andmeans for splitting ofi' the surface film with the particles supportedthere on from the column of] water which discharges, at an' angle to'the vertical, from the tank and delivering, the same into a suitablereceptacle.

4. T he combination with an apparatus for concentrating ores by theselective separation of the values and gangue, by the surface filmension of liquidmof a perforated screen set ohliqnely to and in the pathof the column of water which discharges from the apparatus so as tosplit oil therefrom the surface film, and a receptacle for receiving thediverted fihn, with the particles supported thereon, set forth,

5. The cmnbination with an apparatus for" concentrating ores by theselective separation of theralues and gangnc by the surface I tihntension of liquids, of a perforated screen that passthrough the same. asset forth.

(3. The Combination with an apparatus for concentrating ores by theselective separation of the values and gangue h the surface fihn tensionof liquids. of a perforated screen set in a nearly vertical positionunder the spillway of the sctthng tank, :11 position .to receive thesheet, of water flowing over.

screen for receivingzthc water and particles the spillway and split otl'therefrom the.

upper surface film, means for directing the surface film with the valuesthereon into a receptacle. anda solid plate at an angle to and under thescreen for deflecting into another receptacle thewatcr and particleswhich pass through the screen. as set forth.

7. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination \Vllll1 t1'settling tank of a perforated screen set under the spillway of,

said tank in a nearly vertical position to receive the descendin sheetof water die charged over the spi lway and having its' meshes closedbelow the line of intersection therewith of the descending sheet ofwater,

and an inclined deflecting platesupported under the screen, as setforth.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in the presenceof twosubscribing witnesses.

. HENRY E. WOOD.-

Witnesses: i r

B. M. VVoon,

Lucnzx I. BLAKE.

